The field of art to which this invention pertains is cold engines and a method of warming them.
It is well known that cold weather makes engines harder to start. For engines that contain oil, cold temperatures increase the oil viscosity and thereby make it harder for the starter of the engine to spin the engine. Cold temperatures also affect engines that employ batteries, such as automobile engines. Cold temperatures slow the chemical reactions in the battery, thereby decreasing the battery output. In extremely low temperatures, such as those below minus 20.degree. F. and those found in arctic or antarctic climates, engines can freeze.
There are a variety of methods that have been utilized to start or heat engines in cold conditions. With respect to automobile engines, special aerosols, such as those containing ether or heptane, are sprayed into a carburetor.
In addition, battery warmers, oil heaters, and coolant heaters have been employed for automobile engines and other engines. Oil heaters heat the oil so as to reduce its viscosity. Coolant heaters heat the engine's coolant which circulates throughout the engine block thereby heating up the engine. Such devices, however, usually require several hours of operation before an engine can be started.
A cruder method of heating a cold engine is to pour hot water over various parts of the engine. For example, water can be poured over the fuel pump, fuel line, fuel filter and carburetor bowl of an automobile engine. However, the use of hot water can have the adverse effect of getting into the carburetor or dampening spark plugs of the automobile engine. Sometimes automobile engines have been heated or kept warm by building a fire and then parking the automobile over the coals.
In extremely cold climates, such as in arctic regions, it is a common practice to heat frozen engines with open flames or dangerous fuels such as gasoline. The explosive nature of gasoline makes such practices dangerous, and open flames can be extinguished by some of the winds which are common in arctic regions. Thus, there is a need for a means to quickly. easily and safely warm or unfreeze engines in cold climates.
It is an object of this invention to warm cold engines.
It is another object to provide a means for safely and quickly warming cold engines.
It is a further object of this invention to heat frozen engines in arctic conditions so they can be started.